Socceroos vs Romania: Football live scores, blog

With next month’s crucial 2014 World Cup Qualifier against Oman looming, fringe Socceroos will be looking to make the most of their chance when they face Romania in Spain this morning. We’ll have live scores and commentary from 6.45am AEDT.

It’s less than 18 months until the 2014 World Cup and with Australia’s ageing team creaking toward Brazil, tonight’s friendly against Romania presents the perfect opportunity to see who might be ready to step up into the first team.

On the back of an increasingly fruitful Bundesliga campaign with Fortuna Dusseldorf, Robbie Kruse is set to earn a start and looks the most likely of the next generation to become a key player in Holger Osieck’s plan.

After a serious injury threatened to derail his season Middlesbrough captain Rhys Williams makes his first start in Socceroos colours since August, and will also be named by Osieck to start.

But the conservative Osieck hasn’t strayed too far from the known with the old guard of Neill, Schwarzer, Bresciano and Wilkshire there to guide the ship.

Romania sit third in a tricky Group D of the European section of 2014 World Cup Qualification alongside The Netherlands, Hungary and Turkey.

A 1-0 over Turkey in Istanbul pushed the Romanians into equal second alongside Hungary, and they’ll also view this morning’s fixture as a chance to prepare for more important matches down the road.

That said, a second-string Romania were hammered 4-1 by Poland in Malaga on Saturday and while Victor Piturca will name a significantly stronger outfit here they’ll still be without Adrian Mutu and Ciprian Marica.

With only three qualification matches left, the Socceroos have well and truly reached the endgame of their 2014 World Cup Qualification campaign.

Put simply, each and every match becomes a crucial opportunity for the side to build form, and this morning is no different. The Socceroos should get a victory on Spanish soil tonight.

Vince Rugari is an Adelaide-born journalist who cut his teeth on the sporting graveyard of the Gold Coast. He fancies the round ball and the Sherrin, and used to be a handy leg-spin bowler before injury curtailed a baggy green push. A Port Adelaide fan by birth, he now is a sports reporter for The Cairns Post.

I’m not sure why they picked Spain but they would have picked somewhere in Europe because this international break is only a week instead of the usual two so flying the European based players back to Australia would have created some issues.

And that’s it! A 3-2 win for Romania! Well, an up-and-down game for the Socceroos here. Started poorly, let one in, then settled, took control, went ahead and… let it slip in the end. Question marks over defence there and certainly the midfield, after Bresciano went off. But it is a friendly. I wonder what Holger will have learned from that?

Cornthwaite not a defensive answer despite scoring 2 goals – doesnt mark, is lanky and clumsy. Shane Lowry, Chris Herd and Luke DeVere are better options (if the later 2 are ever fit). Matt McKay not up to it which shows as he is now playing in China. Brosque hasnt looked like scoring for about a year – what about Scott Macdonald?

93′ – Looks like Leckie has been brought on – I missed that as I was getting ready for work, but really, what’s the point of that? He only gets a few minutes and that’s not enough time to do anything at all…

87′ – Not bad there from Roberto Kruse! Nips past the defender on the left, cuts inside, puts a pass there across the six yard box but nobody there. Out for a corner, and nothing comes from that either. 3-2 Romania.

84′ – Gotta wear that. Probably should have been a penalty but a top drawer free kick. Williams the guy who gave away the foul – and he was the one beaten at the near post for the equaliser, too. What looked like a good day at the office for Australia has quickly become a game that has asked more questions than given us answers.